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Roads Ministry did not breach procurement laws in Big Push contracts – Felix Ofosu Kwakye
The government has dismissed allegations of procurement breaches in the award of contracts under the Big Push infrastructure programme, saying an investigation found that the Ministry of Roads and Highways acted within the law.
Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, disclosed this at the Government Accountability Series held at the Jubilee House on Monday, June 15, 2026.
According to him, a 72-page report commissioned by President John Mahama found that the ministry followed all legal procedures in awarding contracts and did not abuse the single-source procurement process.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu explained that the investigation was initiated after the Fourth Estate and the Media Foundation for West Africa raised concerns about the award of road contracts under the Big Push initiative.
He said the report established that out of 1,441 road contracts awarded by the Ministry of Roads and Highways, 1,301 were awarded through open and competitive tendering.
According to him, only 66 contracts, representing 4.58 per cent of the total contracts awarded, were procured through single sourcing.
“This demonstrates that competitive tendering remained the ministry’s overwhelming baseline norm,” he stated.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said the report concluded that the ministry did not violate the Public Procurement Act and had obtained the necessary approvals before awarding contracts through single sourcing or restricted tendering.
He explained that the use of single sourcing for some Big Push projects was driven by the need to accelerate road construction, address deteriorating road conditions, reduce project delays and control rising costs.
The minister addressed allegations of inconsistencies in project figures published by the Ministry of Roads and Highways.
He said investigators found that some of the perceived disparities resulted from different funding sources, including the Consolidated Fund and the Big Push Fund, rather than any financial wrongdoing.
On claims surrounding the rehabilitation of the Dodo Pepesu–Nkwanta Road, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said a reported discrepancy in the project cost was traced to a typographical error.
According to him, the official contract sum for the project was GH¢683.9 million, and any other figure that appeared elsewhere did not affect the legally approved contract amount.
He dismissed allegations that the omission of the letter “W” in the name of contractor Growth 82 Global Limited was an attempt to hide the company from public scrutiny.
The minister said investigators found no evidence to support that claim, noting that the contractor’s details were publicly available and visible at the project site.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu further stated that the report confirmed Growth 82 Global Limited was properly registered and had obtained the required contractor classification before the contract was awarded.
He added that the company won the contract through a restricted tendering process in which five companies were evaluated.
The minister rejected claims that some road projects were overpriced, explaining that the cost of road construction is determined by several factors, including terrain, drainage systems, bridges and the overall scope of work.
He said projects of similar length could have different costs because of variations in engineering requirements.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu noted that the report recommended stronger oversight of single-source contracts, including mandatory value-for-money assessments, cabinet approval for high-value contracts and increased public disclosure of procurement information.
He said the government welcomed the recommendations and would implement measures to strengthen transparency and accountability in public procurement.
The minister commended the Fourth Estate and the Media Foundation for West Africa for their role in promoting public accountability and exposing wrongdoing in the public sector.
According to him, while the report found no evidence of procurement breaches by the Ministry of Roads and Highways, it highlighted the need for greater transparency and stronger oversight mechanisms.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said President Mahama had accepted the report and its recommendations, adding that no further action would be taken because the evidence did not support the allegations made against the ministry.
By: Jacob Aggrey
A woman who is accused of bolting with ‘susu’ money totaling GH₵156,445 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Martha Nana Esi Afful was alleged to have collected the money from 35 complainants.
Charged with 35 counts of fraudulent breach of trust, Martha, who was earlier remanded, pleaded not guilty.
The court, presided over by Mr Joseph Y. Kuunsong on Wednesday, admitted the accused person to a GH₵200,000 bail with two sureties.
One of the sureties, the court said, must be a public servant earning not less than GH₵5,000.
She is expected to reappear on August 12, 2026.
The Prosecution’s case before the court is that the complainants are traders and residents at La in Accra.
Prosecution described Martha as a ‘Susu’ collector, who resided at Burma Camp.
The court heard that the accused person run a business with the name ‘ZOE’ and she deceived the 35 complainants into believing that she collected ‘Susu’ daily, which was kept for a period of one-three years, and paid interest on the money invested.
The complainants contributed in 2023 for a three-year period, prosecution said.
In December 2025, when the complainants went to take their money with interest, Martha went into hiding and only took phone calls from a few complainants.
Prosecution said the accused provided a MTN Momo number through which a few of the complainants still paid monies.
It said all efforts made to collect the money, totaling GH₵156,445 from her, proved futile.
On June 14, 2026, a report was made to the police and Martha was picked up at a washing bay at Tse Addo.
During interrogation, she admitted the offence in her caution statement, saying she lost her husband and relocated to Swedru in the Central Region, hence the complainants were unable to reach her from December 2025 till date.
Prosecution said Martha further stated that she had invested the monies into refuse collection business and she needed time to pay the amount.
Police are investigating the claims. –GNA
A Public Health Nurse at the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal of the Ayawaso West Health Directorate, Ms Patience Adoli Kporxah, has cautioned the public against coming into contact with floodwaters, warning that exposure can lead to serious diseases, infections and injuries.
Floodwater, she said, should always be treated as contaminated, regardless of how clean it appears, because it may contain sewage, human and animal waste, chemicals, fuel, sharp objects and disease-causing micro-organisms.
In an interview with The Spectator in Accra on Thursday, Ms Kporxah explained that contact with contaminated floodwater exposes people to bacteria, viruses, parasites, hazardous chemicals and other physical hazards that can result in illness or injury.
Her advice came in the wake of recent exposure to floodwater following Monday’s torrential rains that left vast areas of the capital flooded.
As a result, a lot of people were seen either ‘swimming’ in the floodwater to rescue people or retrieving items being washed away.
According to her, exposure to floodwater could cause skin infections, particularly where there are cuts or open wounds, as well as diarrhoea diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and other forms of gastroenteritis if contaminated water was swallowed.
Other health risks, she said include hepatitis A, eye and ear infections, tetanus in people with untreated wounds or incomplete vaccination, and injuries from submerged sharp objects, debris or electrical hazards.
Ms Kporxah advised anyone who had contact with floodwater to monitor their health closely and seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe headache, muscle aches, skin rash, difficulty breathing, or yellowing of the eyes or skin.
She also urged people whose wounds became red, swollen, painful or begin to discharge pus, as well as those who accidentally swallow floodwater, to report to the nearest health facility without delay.
Although not everyone exposed to floodwater requires immediate treatment, she stressed that pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, individuals living with chronic illnesses and those with significant wounds should seek prompt medical evaluation.
On water safety, Ms Kporxah cautioned that rainwater was not automatically safe for drinking or cooking, especially during or after flooding. She explained that rainwater collected from roofs, gutters or open containers could be contaminated by bird and animal droppings, dust, leaves, bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemical pollutants.
She advised that rainwater intended for drinking should first be treated by boiling, chlorination or another approved water purification method before use.
Touching on food safety, Ms Kporxah said factory-sealed bottled drinks and canned foods with intact packaging might still be safe after flooding.
However, she stressed that any containers submerged in floodwater should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before handling. Foods in paper packaging, damaged containers or products with broken seals should be discarded because contaminated water may have seeped into them.
She further warned that flooding increases the risk of outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever and other waterborne diseases through contaminated water sources.
In addition, she said flooding could contribute to respiratory illnesses in overcrowded shelters and mould-infested buildings, foodborne illnesses from spoiled or contaminated food, and mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression and trauma.
It could also disrupt access to medicines and healthcare for people living with chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, asthma and kidney disease.
Ms Kporxah therefore urged the public to practice good hygiene, avoid unnecessary contact with floodwater, consume only safe food and drinking water, and seek medical attention promptly whenever symptoms develop.
She said observing these preventive measures would help minimise the risk of disease outbreaks and protect lives as the country continues to experience heavy rains and flooding in some communities.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
